Digitate hydroids- sixline wrasse and filefish

[nathang]

I’ve had a heavy digitate hydroids infestation for about a year now. Seemed to be the more ‘mild’ kind as only one type of zoa seemed a little bothered by contact.

I cut back on feeding, stopped broadcast feeding, added Halloween hermits, but saw no population reductions.

3 days ago, I was at the LFS, and thinking “why not?”, grabbed a small sixline wrasse and aiptasia eating filefish.

Yesterday morning I was inspecting the tank, and I didn’t see a single hydroid anywhere. I was thinking it may have been due to lighting schedule and they may have been retracted, but today I still don’t see any trace of hydroids!

Since I added both fish at once, I am not sure who may have been responsible, and I never witnessed predation, but since all hydroids vanished after 2 days of adding these fish, I am thinking one or both may be a good digitate hydroid predator!

Thought I’d share in case anyone else is struggling!

(Just have to keep an eye on that filefish around my zoas, but if that’s the price I pay for hydroid removal, I will! )

 

[BVF]

If you figure out which one, I’ll be eagerly watching for an update. Glad you found something to get rid of those nasty things.

 

[nathang]

If you figure out which one, I’ll be eagerly watching for an update. Glad you found something to get rid of those nasty things.

Will let you know! Me too- so shocked at how quickly/effectively they did it too

 

[BTR]

Ever figure it out?

 

[nathang]

Ever figure it out?

Not yet, the hydroids all went away so quickly and haven’t come back can’t observe any predation.

I think the filefish is starting to nip at my acans, so may take it out, and maybe if some hydroids survived in my refugium they will come back if the filefish was the culprit?

 

[Mirkus]

Any updates? Did you figure it out? Filefish or sixline?

 

[The Warelock]

I got a sixline yesterday and it didn’t touch a single digital hydroid. It seems very friendly and comes up to the glass when i look inside the tank and it seems to be hunting for pods and worms. It’s actually literally sleeping with two big ones next to its face in the little nook of the rock he chose as his bed.